Usually Forbidden
by reader1writer1
Summary: Although the Forbidden Forest is Forbidden for a reason, apparently, it's not ALWAYS Forbidden. What happens when three first years question the wisdom of sending them for detention in the Usually Forbidden Forest? This story was inspired by Publicola's spot-on collection called Wait! What? I asked her about 2 years ago and she gave me permission to go for it.
1. Chapter 1

This story is/was inspired by Publicola's lovely folder of sensible questions and answers called "Wait! What?" This is the story number: 8303265

Give it a read-You'll love it. This first bit is the part she wrote:

I don't own Harry Potter or Draco Malfoy. This one-shot contains content from "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," which is owned by J.K. Rowling. I may not have the time to expand any of these vignettes into full stories, but I invite anyone else to give them a shot. So long as you credit me for the idea, any and all of these one-shots are officially up for adoption.

**That's Why It's ****_Forbidden_**

Harry's heart rose. If they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad.

His relief must have showed in his face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard." Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

"Wait, what?" Harry's appalled cry broke over the group. He turned to Draco, "There really are werewolves?" In the silence they could hear the noise of Hagrid's trudging gait coming towards them out of the dark. He carried a large crossbow, and Fang hung at his heels.

"Abou' time. I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. Filch, I'll take 'em. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

"No I am not all right!" Harry retorted, surprising even himself with his vehemence. "We got in trouble for being out after dark, and we're being punished by getting sent out after dark, into the most dangerous place in the grounds? Is this some sort of sick joke?"

Before Hagrid could respond, Draco added "And why in the name of Morgana do we even need to go into the Forbidden Forest any way. No," he finished with a touch of desperation, "I'm not going in there."

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it.'" Harry jumped in,

"No we haven't! The three of us were helping you stay out of trouble, and Neville was trying to keep us out of trouble." He shifted a bit guiltily. "Even Draco wasn't all wrong." Draco looked at him oddly. "What? You're here because you told a Professor that we were out after curfew. Why should you be punished?"

"Thanks, Potter." Draco turned back to Hagrid. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Harry. I thought we'd be copying lines or something. If my father knew about this, he'd—"

"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

_Seriously, what is his problem?_ Harry thought indignantly. Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "Now listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment." Leading them to the very edge of the forest, he pointed his lamp down the narrow earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. "Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice. "There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid.

"You can't be serious!" Harry exploded again. "Something out there is killing unicorns, and you think they'll be scared off by an overgrown dog? Even I know that unicorns are insanely strong magical creatures? Hermione, you would know – what sort of thing could kill a unicorn?"

Hermione's voice quivered. "I don't… I mean, I've never heard of a unicorn being killed, it's not in any of the books. Maybe a class five creature might be able to catch one."

Harry turned to her. "Class five?"

"The Ministry Classification of Magical Creatures." She lectured. "Class five creatures include werewolves, dragons, chimera, manticores and acromantula, though there are only rumors that any of them actually live in the Forbidden Forest."

"Filch mentioned werewolves; I wonder if he knows something." Harry turned. "Hagrid, would a werewolf be able to kill a unicorn?" Hagrid shook his beard.

"No, not fast enough. It's not easy ter catch a unicorn." "Right, so not a werewolf. Hagrid, what other class five creatures are in the Forest?" The Gameskeeper shifted uneasily. "Aragog wouldn't—"

Draco interrupted, "Aragog?"

"Hey, none o' that! I raised him from an egg, I gave him his mate, he wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Hagrid, where would we find Aragog?" Harry encouraged.

Hagrid blubbered, "He'd be in the colony at the heart of the Forest, but it couldn't be him, he promised." Draco pressed, "The colony? What colony?"

"Why, the acromantula colony of cour— oh. I shouldn't have said that."

Harry wanted to scream. Hermione did. "You mean to say that there are acromantula in the Forest? Not just one, but an entire colony? And you didn't tell anyone?"

Harry tried to keep his voice even. "Hagrid, you were my first friend, but I have to ask: are you insane? First you keep a giant man-eating spider as a pet, then you foster a whole colony of them in the Forest, next to a school full of children?" Hagrid shifted guiltily. "What is wrong with you?"

Draco gloated, "Just wait till I tell my father about this! I told you when I first met you, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort."

Harry briefly felt an insane desire to deck him, but stopped short to reflect. "You know, I just might take you up on that." The look of betrayal on Hagrid's face tore at his heart, but Harry had to say it. "I'm sorry, Hagrid, you were my first friend, and you've been really nice to me. But now the whole school is in danger. You knew there were giant spiders – giant spiders that like to eat people – and you didn't say anything." Even Neville joined in, softly saying. "And I'd bet that they're responsible for killing those unicorns." At Hagrid's protest, he raised his voice. "What? What else could it be? What else can catch a unicorn?" Harry summarized, "And now you want to lead us out into that very Forest with only a dog to protect us? I'm sorry, but are you trying to kill us?" Hermione went to defend Hagrid, but Harry kept going. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I know he's like a teacher, but listen to me." His face was rapidly paling. "First he hatches a dragon egg in his wooden hut. When we try to help him, we get caught by McGonagall and get sent for detention to the Forbidden Forest. On top of that, we get here and are told to go find and protect a dying unicorn from whatever dark creature is hunting it. And then! Then we learn that Hagrid has been keeping a colony of giant man-eating spiders as his private puppy farm. And that's not to mention whatever Filch seems to know about there being a pack of werewolves in the Forest, and he sounded quite happy to send us out here even though it's the night of the full moon!" By this time Hermione had worried her lower lip until it bled, Draco's face was entirely drained of blood, and Neville seemed on the verge of fainting. Harry finished in a low, nearly hysterical voice. "So I'll ask it again. Are the teachers trying to kill us, or do they merely not care if we die?"

Publicola A/N: I like Hagrid, but there are more than a few times in the books where it's clear he should never be allowed around children. This is the first of those moments. The second most notable was the time he was being taken away by Minister Fudge, and told Harry and Ron to "follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right." This, of course, led the two children straight into the lair of Aragog, king of the Acromantula, who tried to eat them. Great advice, Hagrid! So yeah, I like Hagrid, but I can see that Draco might be on to something when he tells Harry about not being too friendly with the "wrong sort." Just because a kid is already a supercilious bigot by the age of eleven doesn't mean he can't have a valid point.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2(ish)

"Never figured yeh for a whinger or a coward, Harry. Yer father'd be er-shamed, e'would," Hagrid growled out, his voice an angry rasp. For a moment, Harry felt hot tears prickle at the back of his eyes. Hermione, Neville, and even Malfoy moved a step closer to him, as if to block the harsh words from causing more pain. Hagrid's next statement hit him like a bucket of ice water, washing away any hint of remorse. "Meh-be yeh _should_ go on back to those nasty muggles. Dumbledore had the right of it, 'e did. Kept yeh with those muggles to make yeh strong. Seems like yer not strong 'nuf yet ter do righ'." Harry sucked in a deep breath, stumbling backward as if struck. For a moment, he thought he saw a hint of apology in those beetle eyes. "Guess I better go find Dumbledore, then. If that unicorn dies, it'll be on yers head," he finished, sweeping his gaze over the first years, obviously avoiding direct eye contact with Harry.

"Harry, Harry! What should we do?"

Harry shook his head. Now was the wrong time to indulge in self-pity. They needed help—the kind of help they wouldn't find at Hogwarts.

"C'mon, let's go somewhere we can figure out what to do. I know where."

Nobody objected, the other three following him as if they had no choice. Harry didn't understand it, but right now, it was best. Carefully, Harry led his companions back the way they'd come, trying to follow the path exactly. The others didn't seem to notice when they circled the pumpkin patch twice before he led them under the Quidditch stands. Or so he thought.

"The dog, right?" Malfoy asked. When Harry nodded jerkily, Malfoy smiled tightly. "My father warned me about that dog along with Filch's cat." When nobody said anything, he continued, "I think I should write my father." Hermione opened her mouth, not speaking when Malfoy raised his hand in the universal signal to stop. "He's on the Board of Governors. He should know about this. And he can hopefully set things right."

"My Gran is on the Board, as well," Neville offered hesitantly. "Did you bring some parchment, Hermione?" It was a well-known fact that Hermione Granger never left her dorm without enough parchment for a three foot essay.

She nodded haltingly, pulling a roll of parchment out from some hidden pocket in her cloak. "Harry, are you going to write someone?" Eyes fixed on Harry, Neville reached for the parchment, tearing a short length from it before Hermione snatched it back, tidying up the ragged end. "I'm going to write my parents, even if they _are_ muggles," she tacked on spitefully.

"Harry?" Malfoy's tone was unsure. Whatever he was looking for, Harry would have said the two were allies, if his mind worked that way. When Harry nodded, the blond continued in a firmer voice. "Then you shall call me Draco. We _are_ cousins, you know, and both heir to the Black fortune. Your grandmother and mine were sisters. Now then, who do you know that has helped you in the Wizarding World? I mean, my parents will speak for you, but with the Potter holdings, surely you have a barrister. The Potters have always been big on investing, so you're not dripping galleons, but still…"

"You think I should write to someone who helped me, or someone who knows about my family's money?" Harry summarized, trying to understand the savvy Slytherin's advice while still reeling from the casual reference to family. He'd longed for family all these years, anybody besides the Dursleys. Before this night, he would have lumped Draco Malfoy in the same category as the aforementioned Dursley family. Now, however, "I was supposed to go into Slytherin, but you were so…" he blurted, halting himself with a hand clapped over his runaway mouth.

Draco's silver-blue eyes became impossibly wide as he mouthed, "Slytherin?"

"Ravenclaw," mumbled Neville.

"Me, too!" Hermione whispered excitedly.

"Who needs a quill?" Draco croaked, glancing at Harry speculatively as he handed out three wide-bodied writing implements that bore a striking resemblance to feathered fountain pens. "We should hurry. I can have my elf carry them, but we don't have much time."

"Elf?"

"Not now, Hermione," Harry cut her off. "Thank you, Draco."

"Thank you for the offer, and the quill, Malfoy. I'll have my elf take Hermione's and my letter, though. We live close," Neville stated, eyes fixed on his task.

Concentrating on what he needed to say, Harry tuned them out, having decided who might be of the most help to him. Based on who had helped him up till now along with who had the best reason to continue doing so, he began with a short note to Griphook, the goblin who'd explained Gringotts and a bit of the monetary system to him. It sounded like the goblins helping Harry could be a good deal, he'd make sure of it.

_Hello Griphook,_

_You might not remember me, but you are the first goblin that I've met and the only one whose name I know. I'm in a tough spot and I don't have anyone magical to help me. Something is killing unicorns and I've been sent into the Forbidden Forest with 3 other first years including Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger. It turns out there are acromantulas—a colony of them! They're in there, too._

_Also, I've just been told that my family is big on investing and I'm one of two heirs to the Black fortune, whatever that means._

_Could you come and maybe help sort this out, or tell this to the most important bank official who might be interested? If this is how Hogwarts runs, I want our money back. (the bank's and mine)_

_Sincerely__May your axe drip with the blood of your enemies,_

_Harry James Potter_

He looked up just in time to find himself nose-to-nose with an odd little creature. Shaking his head—he wasn't going to ask. This must be the elf his newly found cousin had mentioned.

Handing the roll of parchment to the elf, he whispered, "Take mine to Griphook. He's a goblin in Gringotts."

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir!" the elf promised, disappearing with a pop.

"Did you say goblin?"


End file.
